A09965:632
Four godly and learned treatises Entitled, I. A remedy against covetousness. II. An elegant…Foure godly and learned treatises Intituled, I. A remedy against covetousnesse. II. An elegant…
Four godly and learned treatises Entitled, I. A remedy against covetousness. II. An elegant and lively description of spiritual death and life. III. The doctrine of self-denial. IV. Upon the sacrament of the Lords Supper. Delivered in sundry sermons, by that late famous preacher, and worthy instrument of Gods glory, John Preston, Doctor of Divinity, chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty; master of Emanuel College, and sometime preacher of Lincolns Inn.Foure godly and learned treatises Intituled, I. A remedy against covetousnesse. II. An elegant and lively description of spirituall death and life. III. The doctrine of selfe-deniall. IV. Vpon the sacrament of the Lords Supper. Delivered in sundry sermons, by that late famous preacher, and worthy instrument of Gods glory, Iohn Preston, Doctor of Divinitie, chaplaine in ordinarie to his Majestie; master of Emanuel Colledge, and sometime preacher of Lincolnes Inne.
London: printed by Thomas for Michael Sparke, 1633
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
You shall not find throughout the whole scripture, that any promise is made thus, because we pray fervently we shall be heard: but it is made to the person praying, the prayer is but the instrument, but the means by which the blessing is conveyed to us, is a means without which the Lord will not do it, for the promise is made to the party. A cold prayer (so there be no neglect in it, so a man seek the Lord, and pray as well as he can,) it will prevail sometimes as well as a fervent prayer: Who indites the petition, who makes the prayer fervent? Surely not thy self, but the Holy Ghost: he makes request in us, 1sometimes he makes thee more fervent, he enlargeth the heart more: sometimes again the heart is more straitened in the performance of this duty: but both may come from the same Spirit. Not but that we have cause of much comfort, when we are able to pray fervently, for this is a ground of our comfort, that when we pray fervently, it is an argument that the Holy Ghost dwells in our hearts, and ⟨p. 340⟩that our prayers are dictated by him; it is an argument, that our prayers come from a holy fire within. And therefore fervent prayer may give us hope of being heard, but yet it is not merely the prayer, but because it is an evidence that it comes from a right principle, that it comes from the regenerate part, and is made by the assistance of the Holy Ghost it is not the very fervency that prevails. And therefore when you hear this, that the Lord is ready to hear, I say make that use of it, be fervent in this duty, remember the conditions: and yet withal know, that you are not heard for the very prayers sake, but for Jesus Christ his sake. He makes every prayer acceptable, he mingles them with his sweet odours.
You shall not finde throughout the whole scripture, that any promise is made thus, because wee pray fervently wee shall be heard: but it is made to the person praying, the prayer is but the instrument, but the meanes by which the blessing is conveyed to us, is a meanes without which the Lord will not doe it, for the promise is made to the party. A cold prayer (so there be no neglect in it, so a man seeke the Lord, and pray as well as hee can,) it will prevaile sometimes as well as a fervent prayer: Who indites the petition, who makes the prayer fervent? Surely not thy selfe, but the Holy Ghost: he makes request in us,